Jack shot through the trap door in North's ceiling and down into the main hall. A huge table was piled high with food and drinks just waiting to be eaten. The yeti's were making sure that everything was in place.
Jack raised an eyebrow and grinned continuing to a side hall. The guardians were there all looking happy and festive.
"Jack!" cried Tooth and flew up to hug him. A small cloud of fairies followed her and also joined in the hug.
Baby tooth chattered a warning and tooth and her small cloud backed away. She nuzzled into Jack's cheek and purred like a kitten.
"Hey Baby Tooth!" grinned Jack petting the top of her head with his finger. The tiny fairy sat in his shoulder and shot her fellows a warning look.
"Merry Christmas, frostbite," Bunny said hopping forward. He had a pointed red hat lined in fur. It was a 'Santa' hat. Bunny knew that the myth that North wore them annoyed the big man greatly so he made a point of wearing it as often as possible.
Jack shook his head slightly. "It's Christmas already?"
Tooth flew forward and cocked her head. "You didn't know?" she asked.
Jack shook his head. "Never really celebrated it before. Well once I had become spirit of winter anyway." Sandy floated over mirroring the looks of disbelief on Tooth and Bunny. "What?" Jack inquired.
"I'm not a fan of the holiday but I still join in the celebrations every year," said Bunny.
Jack shrugged. "I had no reason. I mean I saw kids with their new toys and things on Christmas morning. But I had never met North, I was alway on the naughty list so I never got anything." He rolled his eyes. "Before I became a guardian I just ignored the holiday." Bunny wasn't even cocky enough to be happy Jack didn't like Christmas.
"Well then you're in for the time of your life!" Tooth said gleefully.
Bunny nodded. "I can't say I am a fan of Christmas but North knows how to throw a party. All of the immortals are going to be there!"
Jack's eyes widened. "ALL the immortals?" he asked.
"Of course Jack, no one misses North's parties," Tooth said.
Jack's face lit up like a sun and the wind ruffled his hair sensing his hyped up emotion.
North arrived a moment later looking a bit worn out but happy and excited. "Yet another successful Christmas. Now lets get this party started!" The guest arrived within minutes. There were dozens of immortals all with the same excited grin.
Jack was uncharacteristically shy and hung back in the side hall while everyone greeted the guests. Tooth looked over at the youngest guardian as if talking about him with others. The immortals speaking with Tooth waved happily but Jack just waved half heartedly. A little later Bunny gestured Jack over to him but Jack just shook his head.
Eventually a small golden man came over to the winter spirit with an understanding smile on his face. "Hi Sandy," muttered Jack from below his hood.
Sandy put a hand on the boy's arm as if asking what was wrong.
"I don't know what it is Sandy," admitted Jack. "I've just never been around so many people who I know can see me. They have all lived for a long time and they all have powers and believers. It's..." Jack searched for the right word. "Scary."
Sandy shook his finger as if reprimanding a child. Jack looked down at the little man. Sandy ran a finger across his mouth lifting it up in a smile. Then he gestured to the small crowd. 'Just be yourself' he seemed to be saying.
Jack frowned, scrunching his brows. Sandy rolled his eyes as he shook his head and pulled down Jack's hood. Then he ran a finger along jacks lips curving the ends upward. Jack smiled for real.
"Thanks Sandy," he said. With tentative steps he went to join Tooth who was talking to several girls in dresses covered in scales.
"Jack!" greeted Tooth with a huge grin. "Jack Frost these are the seven sisters, children of Triton. Sisters this is Jack Frost."
"Hi," waved Jack sheepishly.
"Aww!" Cooed the sisters. "He's so sweet!"
One of the sisters with bright blue hair and a dress in the same shade stuck out her hand. "I'm Merissa, the eldest, it's so great to finally meet you!" she gushed.
"Nice to meet you to," Jack smiled. The winter spirit turned to Sandy who was nodding knowingly.
Merissa pulled away her hand a little quickly. "Wow you are freezing!" She yelped.
Jack's happy grin faded slightly as he blushed a light blue. "Well I am the winter spirit, being cold is a small addition."
"So you create ice and stuff?" Asked a sister with black hair and a bright red dress.
"Um yea," admitted Jack.
"Can you show us?!"
Jack concentrated for a moment and a small ice figure of a mermaid sat on his hand. She waved her tail on his fingers and brushed her long hair.
"Oh my Poseidon!" Squeaked the girls. "Can you do more?"
Jack grinned and made the small mermaid swim in the air gracefully. At the inquiry of the girls he made a few more and made them fly around their heads and through their hair. The girls were astonished. He kept doing it, loving the reactions.
Behind him Tooth smiled softly. It was so nice to see a happy grin on Jack's face. He loved making people happy. He was the guardian of fun, it should make him feel great to know others were having fun because of him.
The mer-sisters would have had Jack performing forever but he was saved by North calling, "The feast is served!"
The girls waved to Jack telling him to come sit with them. But before he could accept Tooth interrupted. "Sorry ladies. Jack gets the place of honor next to North, being the new guardian and all." The sisters made noises of sadness and told Jack they would talk later.
"Tooth it's incredible!" Jack said to the fairy. "They actually like me!"
"Of course they do Jack, it's impossible not to like you." Tooth continued mindlessly. "You're funny and sweet and..." She trailed off at Jack's confused smile. "I mean..."
"You really think that Tooth?" asked Jack.
"We'd better get to the table before North eats everything," Tooth hurried forward changing the subject. Jack followed but it was with a coy smile.
Once everyone was at the table North stood with his arms outstretched. "Welcome friends!" He shouted above the noise. The voices faded out and they turned their faces to the big man. "It is wonderful to see you all here! Now without anymore wait... The yeti's have created a wonderful meal for us. But save some room for dessert." He winked.
The food was fantastic. Jack seemed to inhale everything in sight while Tooth looked on in astonishment.
"You act like you haven't seen food in a hundred years," giggled Tooth.
Jack shook his head and swallowed. "I haven't had anything since the celebration feast after we deafened Pitch." He said taking a huge bite of some orange mush.
Tooth's eyes widened. "But that was in spring!" she protested. Immortals didn't need to eat to survive but they could get hungry, have cravings and eat, but the idea of not having food at her disposal all the time scared Tooth.
"Yep," Jack said taking a huge bite of a carrot filled soup.
Tooth was about to say more when the centaur next to Jack nodded. "Well then you deserve a good meal." He nodded respectfully.
Jack kept eating long after Tooth felt like she would explode. And that was just dinner. The dessert came in droves carried by yetis. Despite their full stomachs everyone managed some dessert. But not Jack, he still looked starving after his fourth helping. His favorite by far was the chocolate ice cream. Once even he was full he started making ice cream sculptures in his bowl. A small sherbet baby tooth flew around Tooth's head before plopping back in Jack's dish.
Even after the feast no one felt like leaving. Most just talked but others preformed for small groups of people.
Some satyrs were playing panpipes and making vines swirl around like snakes, the leprechauns were going a comedy act, Cupid was doing a hypnotism act and even Bunny and North were participating, the big man messing with the elves and the rabbit doing a small conga line with some eggs. Tooth watched all of them happily and later Sandy made small animals wander around the legs of the people.
But the act that took the cake was Jack's ice sculptures. He could do dead on impressions of people with his figures. He made a Medusa lecturing her children and accidentally turning them to stone. He did an impression of Cupid in his less flattering days of a chubby baby with a diaper. He even created a few singers, like Elvis and the Beatles. He had shadows of people follow the, around without them noticing. For ten minutes an exact ice replica followed baby new year around shadowing him. It was uncanny how well the impression was similar.
Once done with impressions he created a small tree that grew twice its size and shed leaves. The detail was incredible. Each leaf ruffled in an invisible wind. He made a small circle of flowers that grew around his legs and the changed into a huge snake with fangs and a rattler. Everyone gasped, forgetting for a moment that it was a creation. A few of the acts stopped and came to see the youngest guardian.
The snake swirled around on the ground then grew into a ballerina, the dance was slow and soft with graceful movements and amazing poise. She twirled around and her costume lengthened into a full sized princes dress, Jack bowed to the ice sculpture and took her hand. She curtsied and he began to dance with her swaying to imaginary music. While he danced with he she changed, shrinking slightly until her dress turned to feathers and he was holding a full sized swan in his arms. He threw the huge bird into the air and it burst into a million butterflies.
The group, which was now comprised of every immortal, applauded. Tooth's fairies flew up and held the small creatures. They grinned as the butterflies changed into little teeth and they squeaked happily. No one noticed that Baby Tooth had the biggest tooth out of all of them. They threw them all up into the air where again they burst into new shapes. This time they were billions of snowflakes which fell gently around everyone. Jack looked winded but he bowed as the applause commenced.
That seemed to be the unspoken finale. Soon after everyone left. Once Jack had said goodbye to the mer-sisters everyone was gone. The yetis sighed as they saw the mess.
"I can help," Jack offered happily. He conjured the winds to pick up the confetti and general litter and plopped them into a garbage can. Phil smiled and saluted Jack. Returning the gesture Jack flew over to the side hall. Everyone was sitting on the carpeted ground looking content. The youngest guardian sat with them, sitting closer to the cold window than the blazing fire.
"That was great party!" cried North.
"Best one yet," agreed Bunny.
"And we all know why that was," Tooth looked over at Jack.
"What?" he asked.
"What do you mean what?" Smiled North.
"Your ice creations mate. Those were stellar!" Bunny said.
"Really?" Jack looked pleasantly surprised. "I didn't even know that many people were watching. I just love creating things like that. And since I have more believers I've noticed they've gotten so much better."
Everyone smiled at Jacks's surprise.
"Now..." said North. "Presents!" A yeti brought in four bags, one red and covered in candy canes, one green and covered in eggs, one blue with teeth on it, and a golden one with little 'Z's on it.
"Presents?" asked Jack.
"Of course," said Tooth and Sandy nodded. "It's tradition for the guardians to get each other presents."
Jack watched his friends happily. North pulled out a small book form his bag and handed it to Tooth, "for you a handbook of dental care. I noticed that you were eyeing it."
"Oh North it's exactly what I wanted!"
"Of course it is I'm Father Christmas." He pulled another book from his bag. "For bunny, an egg decorating idea book." Bunny smiled happily and began flipping through the pages. "For sandy, a book of children bedtime stories. Kids love book character dreams." Sandy smiled and accepted the book. "And for Jack..."
"Wait you got something for me?" Jack was again surprised.
"Of course Jack always something for fellow guardian. Besides," he tapped the side of hi nose. "For first time in three hundred years you are off naughty list." The big man handed Jack a small book on ice sculptures. Jack opened it and began slowly reading aloud, his words were faltering and slow but he eventually read the cover.
"Famous sculptures, buildings, and creations of ice." He said. Then looked up happily. "Thanks North!"
"Wait Jack, can't you read?" asked Bunny.
Jack nodded, "I came form a time where reading wasn't really necessary, but Jamie's been teaching me."
The rest of the guardians were slightly shocked. Jack had lived over three hundred years without knowing how to read?
"If it makes you feel better," said Jack. "I pick up speaking languages pretty well I can speak over one hundred languages."
"A hundred!" Said Bunny, impressed.
"You pick it up pretty quick when you're around the language. But I didn't have anyone to speak it with."
Tooth shook her head astonished before her faires waved their hands and pointed to the present bags. "Oh," gasped Tooth. "That's right the presents!" She dug inside her bags and pulled out a long, small package for each of them. "I made all of you tooth brushes. My faries and I carved them all ourselves." She handed one to North, "yours is red with green stripes around it, we took a long time painting yours. "Sandy," she handed the little man a gold one with animal carvings. "We took forever deciding what pattern it should have. She handed a green one to Bunny, "we tried to do eggs on them but they ended up looking more like polka dots." She handed a blue one to jack with his swirling ice design painted on if. "Baby Tooth did that one herself she took forever on it."
Jack smiled at both Tooth and Baby Tooth. "Thanks you guys but I don't brush my teeth."
Tooth looked appalled. "Not brush your teeth. Then how are they so white?"
Jack only shrugged. Tooth's looked like she might go into full melt down until Bunny stepped in. "My turn!"
"Let us see what Bunny gives us this year!" said North happily. Then he whispered to Jack. "Last year he gave everyone an Easter egg kit, year before a huge basket filled with strange candies, year before..."
"Thank you North," growled Bunny. He pulled from his bag a chocolate figure of Sandy, "here you go mate," he grinned. Sandy inspected the figure carefully before taking a bite of the hand. He smiled and put two thumbs up. "Tooth," Bunny handed her a figure of herself, wings and all. "North," I perfect figure of North holding his swords at the ready. "And frostb- I mean Jack."
Jack took the small chocolate figure in wonder before saying, "isn't this canibalism or something?"
"Ah knock off polar bear, I used some of my best chocolate for this."
Sandy waved his hand in the air. "From his bag he pulled a huge feather pillow covered with red fuzz and handed it to North.
"This is great friend, I needed new pillow."
He pulled an Easter egg shaped pillow form his bag and gave it to Bunny. Next a tooth shaped pillow and handed it to the fairy herself. He held up a finger as if saying, "one moment." He opened a small zipper and billions of little tooth pillows came out.
"Oh, for my fairies, how sweet of you Sandy!"
He pulled it the last one which was a snowflake shaped pillow and a soft thin light blue blanket.
Jack took them gratefully. "Never had a pillow before, or a bed for that matter," Jack admitted as he ran his hand across the silky blanket. It wasn't one to keep out the cold, but one to keep him cool on warm nights. Sandy had taken forever to find it.
"But I didn't get anything for you," Jack said despondently.
"Don't worry about that mate. You didn't have to," said Bunny.
But Jack didn't listen. "Hey Sandy, can I borrow a handful of sand?"
The little man nodded and handed the young guardian a small handful of sand. Jack concentrated a moment before making a small smooth platform with a pirate ship floating above it with fireworks shooting out of it. "For you Sandy." The pirate ship went around in circles. "Because of the sand it won't ever melt or stop." The golden man smiled. Another small scene played out of North slaying Pitch's demon horses. He handed it to North. He made a small garden with a sweet little bunny hopping around it.
"Very funny mate," Bunny rolled his eyes but smiled slightly all the same.
Lastly Jack made a small figure of Tooth skating in an eternal figure eight.
"Oh, Jack it's beautiful." She gasped.
"Well I guess that is that and..." North trailed off as the full moon shone brightly through the window. "I guess Manny wanted to give a present to." The light narrowed until it only fell on Jack. "Looks like he only wants Jack."
"But-" protested Jack.
"Don't worry about us," Tooth waved him forward. "We all got our gifts from him a long time ago."
Jack stepped forward and in the air they saw an image shimmer. It was a blurry pair of people. But as they watched it grew in more detail. It was a thin woman with dark brown hair and laughing brown eyes. A man with grey hair and the same laughing brown eyes smiled at Jack.
The boy's staff clattered to the floor as he stared at them. He walked forward slowly and stared at each detail. The man had a red shirt covered in overalls, he was wearing this boots and his skin was tan from outside work. The woman had a plain blue dress and a white apron. Both were clean and happy. Jack touched both of their faces and hands carefully as if terrified they'd vanish.
"Are you real?" He asked "can you speak?"
"We can speak, but we are real Jack. The man in the moon brought us here from a land far away." Said the man.
"So you know who I am?"
"Of course," smiled the woman.
Jacks eye brimmed with tear of joy as he whispered. "Mom, Dad." And wrapped them in a tight embrace.
For a moment everyone was in a state of shocked silence/tearful happiness. Even the other guardians and especially Tooth. The fairy had been so overcome by emotions that her throat had stopped working and she was bawling her eyes out.
Jack let go of his parents. "But if you're here then..."
A small female voice said "Jack?" His parents separated to reveal a small girl with medium brown hair and a light blue dress covered in pink flowers. Her hair was curled slightly and she was even prettier than Jack remembered.
"Elizabeth," Jack croaked. In one quick movement he swooped her up in his arms and held her tightly to him as if she was the one thing in the world he could ever need.
If everyone thought Tooth was crying hard before now she was bawling her eyes out.
But Jack and his baby sister were oblivious to the entire world around them. "I missed you," they both whispered. Unseen by everyone else the parents slipped away and back into moon light.
Jack held her out at arms length and she giggled. "You look different Jack." She said running a small hand through his white hair. Jack couldn't stop himself. He sat her on the ground in his lap and talked. He talked about everything, his immortal life, Jamie, pranks, everything. Then he turned with her hand in his.
"And this is Sandy," the golden man tipped a golden hat. "North," the big man bowed. "Bunny, (but I call him kangaroo)" Bunny rolled his eyes and smiled at Elizabeth. "Tooth," Tooth waved extaticaly at her. The small blue green fairy flew at Jack's face. "And this is Baby Tooth." Elizabeth held out her cupped hands and baby tooth sat in them talking wildly. Wether the girl understood the fairy was beyond the point.
Jack smiled again, a brilliantly happy smile. "I really did miss you Lizzy."
She smield back at him before turning to look at the moon. "Can't I stay longer?" She asked.
"Wait," Jack said his smile faltering. "You can't leave yet."
The moon seemed to beckon the small girl and she nodded. "Goodbye Jack." The older boy picked up his sister and held her tightly to him, never wanting to let her go.
"Goodbye Elizabeth." But he didn't let her down. "Promise I can see her again?" Jack asked of the moon. MiM seemed to node slightly. Then, and only then, did Jack let go of the young girl.
"I love you Jack!" She cried before vanishing.
"Love you to!" He said as the moon slid out of view.
For a moment there was silence before his friends came up behind him.
"Jack?" said Tooth quietly, her voice racked with emotion.
He turned to them and smiled his eyes puffy with tears. "Thank you," he said. "For the best Christmas ever."
LE FIN.
I looked up names for jacks sister. I don't like the use of the name Emma because it's kind of boring. And I hate the name Pippa. I like using the name Rose for her but this time I just wanted a different name.
I hope you liked the gifts given. It took forever to think what they would each give.
This was basically his first Christmas as a guardian
R&R!